Engine starter



J. SCHAEFER.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLlcAloN man 1ML-30. 1922.

l ,428, 9 1 2. Patented Sept. 12, 1922`- Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES [PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SCHAEFER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM STEELE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ENGINE STARTER.

Application filed January 30, 1922. Serial No. 532,540.

To ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SGHAEFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Engine Starters, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relatesv to that type of manually operated starting mechanisms for explosion engines of lautomobiles and the like, infwhich a hand crank has clutch connection with the engine shaft in an automatically detachable manner, and the present improvement has for its object To provide a simple and eflicient ystructural assembly of parts whereby an effective cranking of the engine shaft is attained, with an avoidance of injury to the operator when a back kick of the engine takes place, as well as when the engine starts yin the proper direction, all as will hereinafter more fully' appear.

In the accompanying drawing F ig. 1, is a side elevation of an engine starter mechanism embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section, illustrating one position ofthe clutching means in full lines in one position and in the other position in dotted lines.

Figs. 3 and 4 are companion transverse sections on line 3,-3, Fig.V 2, showing the two positions of the clutch mechanism.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawing, I designates the forward end of an engine shaft provided with -a transverse clutch member or pin 2 as usual.

3 designates a fixed journal hub or bracket secured to the forward portion of the vehicle frame with its journal bore in longitudinal alignment with the engine shaft 1 aforesaid. n

4 designates a tubular outer shaft arranged in the journal hub 3 in a manner permitting rotary movement as well as lim- 'ited longitudinal adjustment of the shaft in the operation of the mechanism.

5 designates an operating hand crank or other usual means fiXedly secured to the forward end of the shaft 4 aforesaid.

6 designates a central shaft arranged in the bore of the hollow shaft 5 and provided at its forward end 'with a head 7 or like means by whichthe shaft 6 may be manually rotated when desired. At its rear end the shaft 6 carries la fixed head 8 the rear face of which is formed with triangular projections 8 adapted for positive operative engagement in one direction with the cross pin 2 of the engine shaft, as usual in the present class of starting mechanisms.

9l designates a clutch control collarslid- `ingly mounted on the hollow shaft 4 by means of a fixed stud 10 on the shaft 4 and a longitudinal recess 11 in the collar Q, with the fit between said parts of a'loose form to permit limited independentturning movementof vthe clutch collar. At its rear end the clutch collar 9 is formed-withv one or more cam projections 12, the inclines of which are arranged in a direction opposite to the inclines of the cam projections S above described. The cam projections 12 have operative engagement with corresponding cam recesses 13 in the aforesaid head 8, kso that when the head-8 receives rotative movement in a backward or reverse direction, such cam 4formation will yact to Amove the clutch collar9 to attain a release of the hereinafter describedvclutch means between the shafts 4 and 6.

. 14 vdesignates one orv more pits or recesses formed in the periphery of the central shaft 6 aforesaid, and preferably ofV the semispherical form shown.

15 designates one or more radial orifices or passages formed in the outer shaft 4 aforesaid, in line with the pits or recesses 14 and adapted to contain members or balls 16 constituting the movable clutch elements between the shafts4 and 6 in the present improvement. f

17 designatesa circular groove or channel formed in the'innerisurface of the clutch collant). Said groove in one position of said clutch collar, as shownin full lines in Fig. 2, is out'of line with thefpits 14 and orifices 15 and the inner surface; of the collar 9 is adapted to positively hold the vballs 16 vin the pits 14 yand attain av positive driving connection betweenA the shafts V4 and 6 aforesaid. In the other, position. of the clutch collar, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the groove 17 is in line with the pits 14 and orifices 15 so that the balls 16 are free to move out of the described engagement in the pits 14 and release the positive engagement between the shafts 4 and 6 just described.

18 designates a spring, preferably of the coiled form shown, encircling the tubular shaft 4,.and interposed between the adjacent ends yof the journal hub 3 and clutch collar 9 with a tendency to yieldingly force the cam projections 12 of said collar to engagement with cam recesses 13 of the head 8 aforesaid.

19 designates a yielding friction head carried by a flexible arm 19 attached to the journal hub 3 andadapted to have frictional bearing against the clutch collar'9 to hold the same against free` rotationwith the tubular shaft 4 upon which it isl mounted.

Such frictionalretardanceof the clutch colf sition free from engagement `with the 'engine shaft.

The operation lows When a cranking of the engine is re.- quired, the positively connected shafts, 4,I 6 and accessories are manually pushed 'gin a rearward direction from the holding engagement of'the dog 21- above described.

of the mechanism is as foland so that the cam projection 8v of the head 8 are brought into operative engagement with the cross pin 2 of the engine shaft, so

that the desired manual rotation lof the engine shaft'can be effected and until the normal power rotation of said engine` shaft commences. With the commencement of 4the ypower'rotation of the engine shaft, its

cross pin 2 rides against the inclined portions ofthe cam projections 8 forcing the manual actuating mechanism in a. forward direction' to be engaged and held by the spring dog 21 in its forward and in active position. j

Incase of a dangerous reverse movement of the parts due to a back kick of the engine during the cranking operation a safety release of the outer shaft 4 with its crank handle 5 from the central shaft 6 is automatically effected by an operation of the parts as follows f lIn such reverse movement the vcam cesses 13 ofthe head 8 moving against the cam projections 12 of the frictionally retarded clutch collar 9 imparts an independent forward movement to said clutch sleeve 'bringing its circular channel 17 in line with the orices 15 of the outer shaft 4 and the balls 16 confined thereon, and so thatmsaid .balls are freevto move outward into saidv channel 17 and out of the normal clutching or holding engagement inthe pits 14 of the inner shaft 6, thus releasing the normally existing operating lconnection between the inner and outer shafts 4 and 6.

Having thus fully described my invention what .I claim as new and desire to secure by` Letters Patent, is f 1. An engine starting mechanism, comprising a tubular shaft carrying a manual actuating means, a central shaft arranged in said tubular shaft and having an fend formed for operative engagement in one direction with an engine shaft, a journal bearing' supporting'v the shafts in a rotary and longitudinally adjustable manner, a clutch collar slidingly mounted on the tubular shaft and f ormed in its interior with an annular channel, rthe inner ends of the vvclutch collar vand central shaft having coacting cam formations adapted to impart longitudinal movement to the clutch collar in a reverse rotation of the central shaft, the tubular shaft having a radial openingin its wall, the central shaft having a peripheral recess in line with said opening7 and a clutch mem ber movable in said opening and 4adapted in one position of the clutch collar to be held in positive engagement with the recess in the central shaft and in the other position of the clutch collar to move into the annular channel of said collar and out ofpositive engagement infsaid recess. 2. An engine starting mechanism, comprising a tubular shaft carrying a manual actuating means, a central shaft arranged in said tubular shaft and having an. end formedfor operative engagement in one direction with an' engine shaft, a journal bearing supporting the shafts in a rotary and longitudinally adjustable manner, a clutch collar slidingly mounted on the f tubular shaft and formed in its interior with an annular channel, the inner ends of the clutch collar and central shaft having coactingcam formations adapted to impart longitudinal movement to the clutch collar in areverse rotation of the central shaft', the tubular shaft having a radial opening in its wall, the central shaft having a spherical recess in its periphery in line with said opening, and a ball movable in said opening and-'adapted in one position of the clutch collar to beheld in positive engagement with the recessin the central shaft and yinthe other position of the clutch collarto'move into the annular channel of said collar and out of positive en gagement in said recess. 3. An engine startingmechanism, comprising a tubular shaft carrying a manual actuating means, a central shaft arranged in said tubular shaft and having an end formed for operative engagement in onedirection with an engine shaft, -a journal bearing vsupporting the shafts in arotary and longitudinally adjustable manner, a clutch collar slidingly lmounted on the tubular shaft and formed in its interior with an annular channel, the inner ends of the clutch collar and central shaft having coacting cam formations adapted to impart longitudinal movement to the clutch collar in a reverse rotation of the central shaft, the tubular shaft having a radial opening in its Wall, the central shaft having a peripheral recess in line with said opening, a clutch member movable in said opening and adapted in one position of the clutch collar to be held in positive engagement With the recess in the central shaft and in the other position of the clutch collar to move into the annular channel of said collar and out of positive engagement in said recess, and means for retarding the turning movement of the clutch collar.

t. An engine starting mechanism, comprising a tubular shaft carrying a manual actuating means, a central shaft arranged in said tubular shaft and having an end formed for operative engagement in one drection with an engine shaft, a journal bear.-

ing supporting the shafts in a rotary and longitudinally adjustable manner, a clutch collar slidingly mounted on the tubular shaft and formed in its interior With an annular channel, the inner ends of the clutch collar and central shaft having coacting cam formations adapted to impart longitudinal movement to the clutch collar in a reverse rotation ofthe central shaft, the tubular shaft having a radial opening in its Wall, the central shaft having a peripheral recess in line with said opening, clutch member movable in said opening and adapted in one position of the'clutch collar to be held in positive engagement with the recess in the central shaft and in the other position of the clutch collar to move into the annular channel of said collar and out of positive engage# ment in said recess, a spring tending to force said clutch collar in an inward direction,

and a paWl adapted to engage the tubular shaft and hold the partsin their forward position.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 26th day of January, 1922.

JOHN SCHAEFER.' 

